Portable apparatus

ABSTRACT

There is provided a portable apparatus capable of detecting a touch position where a user touches the portable apparatus and a touch strength with which the user touches the portable apparatus. The portable apparatus includes: a rectangular frame on which a display panel unit is to be mounted; four touch detection-dedicated legs respectively extending from vicinities of four corners of the frame; a first strain gage attached to each of the touch detection-dedicated legs; and a calculation unit that finds the touch position and the touch strength based on an output of the first strain gage.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent ApplicationNo. 2015-250471, filed on Dec. 22, 2015, and titled “PORTABLEAPPARATUS”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a portable apparatus that includes astrain gage.

As portable apparatuses that include a touch panel, smart phones, forexample, are widely used. In these portable apparatuses, touch panels ofvarious systems, such as a resistance film system or an electrostaticcapacity (capacitance) system, are employed.

Moreover, although not used in portable apparatuses, a three-dimensionaltouch panel in which pressure sensors are disposed at four corners ofthe panel and a pressed-down position of a screen and a pressing-downpressure are detected based on output values from the pressure sensors,has also been proposed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2006-126997).

SUMMARY

In a conventional portable apparatus that includes a touch panel of thelikes of the resistance film system, when a user applies a pressingforce to a display panel, this pressing force cannot be detected.

Although the three-dimensional touch panel described in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2006-126997 can detect the pressing forceapplied to the display panel, a more appropriate input method has becomerequired in portable apparatuses.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a novel portableapparatus that can detect a pressing force applied by a user, by asimple configuration.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provideda portable apparatus capable of detecting a touch position where a usertouches the portable apparatus and a touch strength with which the usertouches the portable apparatus, the portable apparatus including:

a rectangular frame on which a display panel unit is to be mounted;

four touch detection-dedicated legs respectively extending fromvicinities of four corners of the frame;

a first strain gage attached to each of the touch detection-dedicatedlegs; and

a calculation unit that finds the touch position and the touch strengthbased on an output of the first strain gage.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there isprovided a portable apparatus capable of detecting a grip strength withwhich a user grips the portable apparatus, the portable apparatusincluding:

a rectangular frame on which a display panel unit is to be mounted;

a first grip detection-dedicated leg extending from a long side of theframe;

a first strain gage attached to the first grip detection-dedicated leg;and

a calculation unit that finds the grip strength based on an output ofthe first strain gage.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provideda portable apparatus capable of detecting a touch position where a usertouches the portable apparatus and a touch strength with which the usertouches the portable apparatus, the portable apparatus including:

a frame on which a display panel unit is to be mounted;

at least two touch detection-dedicated legs respectively extending fromthe frame;

a first strain gage attached to each of the touch detection-dedicatedlegs; and

a calculation unit that finds the touch position and the touch strengthbased on an output of the first strain gage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a portable telephone of anembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detection member included in theportable telephone of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a touch detection-dedicated leg includedin the detection member.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a grip detection-dedicated leg includedin the detection member.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view for explaining a method of calculating atouch position and a touch strength.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portable telephone ofanother embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a detection member included in theportable telephone of the other embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view for explaining a method of calculating agrip strength and a grip position.

EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

A portable telephone (mobile phone) 100 of a first embodiment of thepresent disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. Theportable telephone 100 is an example of a portable apparatus of thepresent disclosure.

The portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment mainly includes: acasing 10; a control unit 20 and power supply 30 that are housed in thecasing 10; a detection member 40 covering the control unit 20 and powersupply 30; and a display panel unit DU attached to the detection member40. The display panel unit DU has a structure in which a backlight 50, aliquid crystal panel 60, and a transparent cover 70 are overlaid in thisorder.

In the description below, a direction in which the casing 10, thedetection member 40, and the display panel unit DU are overlaid will becalled a front-rear direction of the portable telephone 100, a sidewhere the transparent cover 70 is positioned will be called a front, anda side where the casing 10 is positioned will be called a rear.

The casing 10 includes: a rectangular shaped back plate (back surface)11; and four side plates (side surfaces) 12 each of which is uprightfrontwards from each of the four sides of the back plate 11. Undepictedpower supply switch for turning on the portable telephone 100,undepicted microphone for performing speech communication using theportable telephone 100, and so on, are disposed on the side plate 12.

The control unit 20 is an integrated circuit housed in the casing 10,and includes a CPU unit (not depicted), a storage unit (not depicted), acommunication control unit (not depicted), a sensor calculation unit 21(calculation unit), and so on.

The power supply 30 is a secondary battery for supplying electric powerto the control unit 20, the backlight 50, the liquid crystal panel 60,and so on, and, as an example, may be configured as a lithium ionbattery. The power supply 30 is housed adjacently to the control unit 20on the inside of the casing 10.

As depicted in FIG. 2, the detection member 40 includes: a frame 41which is a rectangular shaped flat plate; four touch detection-dedicatedlegs 42 respectively provided in four corner sections of the frame 41;and two grip detection-dedicated legs 43 respectively provided on a pairof long sides of the frame 41. The detection member 40 is housed on theinside of the casing 10 in a state where the four touchdetection-dedicated legs 42 are in contact with the back plate 11 of thecasing 10 and the two grip detection-dedicated legs 43 are in contactwith the side plates 12 of the casing 10. The frame 41 is disposedfrontwards of the control unit 20 and the power supply 30 so as to coverthese.

A sensor unit SU is configured by the sensor calculation unit 21 of thecontrol unit 20 and the detection member 40. Detailed structure andoperation of the detection member 40 and the sensor unit SU will bedescribed later.

The backlight 50 of the display panel unit DU is attached, by the likesof a double-sided tape or an adhesive agent, to a front surface of theframe 41 of the detection member 40. The backlight 50 includes: arectangular shaped light-guiding plate 51; and a light source unit 52provided along a short side of the light-guiding plate 51. A pluralityof convexities (not depicted) are formed on a rear surface of thelight-guiding plate 51. The plurality of convexities are each aprojection of substantially hemispherical shape projecting outwardly(rearwards) from the light-guiding plate 51, and are disposed over anentire region of the rear surface of the light-guiding plate 51. Lightemitted from the light source unit 52 is reflected frontwards by theplurality of convexities, and is emitted toward the liquid crystal panel60 from a front surface of the light-guiding plate 51.

The liquid crystal panel 60 of the display panel unit DU has a structurein which a polarizing filter, a color filter substrate, a liquid crystallayer, an array substrate, and so on, none of which is depicted, arestacked. The liquid crystal panel 60 modulates light from the backlight50 to form an image.

The transparent cover 70 of the display panel unit DU is a member thatcovers an opening of the casing 10 thereby closing the opening, andprotects the liquid crystal panel 60, and so on, and, as an example, isa rectangular plate of glass or a transparent resin.

Next, the sensor unit SU included in the portable telephone 100 of thefirst embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

The frame 41 of the detection member 40 of the sensor unit SU is arectangular flat plate as depicted in FIG. 2, and, as an example, may beformed by SUS, or the like.

As depicted in FIG. 3, the touch detection-dedicated legs 42 provided inthe four corners of the frame 41 are each a member made by bending andshaping a portion projecting from the frame 41, and each include a firstplate 421, a second plate 422, and a third plate 423.

The first plate 421 is a substantially square flat plate that connectsthe frame 41 and the second plate 422. The first plate 421 projectslaterally from a long side of the frame 41, and extends on an identicalplane to the frame 41.

The second plate 422 is a rectangular flat plate for attaching(installing) a strain gage G, a long side direction of the second plate422 is equivalent to a long side direction of the frame 41, and a shortside direction of the second plate 422 is equivalent to the front-reardirection orthogonal to the frame 41. Therefore, the second plate 422 ispositioned in a plane orthogonal to the frame 41 and extending in thelong side direction of the frame 41.

The second plate 422 is connected to a tip of the first plate 421 at afront side of one end in the long side direction of the second plate422. Moreover, the third plate 423 is connected to a rear side of theother end in the long side direction of the second plate 422.

In the two touch detection-dedicated legs 42 depicted on the upper sidein FIGS. 1 and 2, of the four touch detection-dedicated legs 42, thesecond plate 422 is connected to the tip of the first plate 421 at afront side of an upward end in the long side direction of the secondplate 422, and is connected to the third plate 423 at a rear side of adownward end in the long side direction of the second plate 422.Contrarily, in the two touch detection-dedicated legs 42 depicted on thelower side in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second plate 422 is connected to thetip of the first plate 421 at a front side of the downward end in thelong side direction of the second plate 422, and is connected to thethird plate 423 at a rear side of the upward end in the long sidedirection of the second plate 422. In other words, the four touchdetection-dedicated legs 42 are each provided such that, in the longside direction of the frame 41, the first plate 421 is positioned on anend side and the third plate 423 is positioned on a center side. As aresult, two positions, on one long side of the frame 41, where two touchdetection-dedicated legs 42 are attached to the long side, can belargely separated, and consequently it becomes possible for detection ofa later-described touch position to be performed in a broader range.

The strain gage G (first strain gage) is attached to each surface of thesecond plate 422, each strain gage G being attached to a vicinity of acenter in the long side direction of each surface (more specifically, aplace where shearing stress concentration occurs due to touch). Thestrain gages G are each connected to the sensor calculation unit 21 ofthe control unit 20 by an undepicted wiring line. Due to a half-bridgeconfiguration using these two strain gages G, a strain (later-describedshearing strain) occurring in the second plate 422 can be detected withabout twice a sensitivity compared to when one strain gage is used.

As depicted in FIG. 3, the third plate 423 has substantially an L shapemade by bending a flat plate extending rearwards from the second plate422 such that a center in the front-rear direction of the flat plateprojects to a frame 41 side. A rear end of the third plate 423 is incontact with an inner surface side of the back plate 11 of the casing10.

In each of the four touch detection-dedicated legs 42, when the frame 41is applied with a load from the front, the first plate 421 movesrearwards in a state of the third plate 423 is in contact with thecasing 10, hence a shearing strain occurs within the second plate 422.The sensor calculation unit 21 detects a magnitude (size) of theshearing strain that has occurred within the second plate 422 via thestrain gage G attached to the second plate 422, and a magnitude of theload applied to each of the four touch detection-dedicated legs 42 canbe found based on a magnitude of this shearing strain. That is, fourload sensors are configured by each of the four touchdetection-dedicated legs 42 and the sensor calculation unit 21.

Hereafter, for convenience of explanation, a load sensor configured bythe touch detection-dedicated leg 42 provided at top right when viewingthe frame 41 in FIG. 2 from the front, and the sensor calculation unit21, will be called a load sensor LC1, and load sensors configured by thetouch detection-dedicated legs 42 provided at bottom right, bottom left,and top left when viewing the frame 41 in FIG. 2 from the front, and thesensor calculation unit 21, will be called, respectively, load sensorsLC2, LC3, and LC4.

As depicted in FIG. 4, the grip detection-dedicated legs 43 provided invicinities of the centers of the long sides of the frame 41 are each amember made by bending and shaping (forming) a portion projecting fromthe frame 41, and each include a first plate 431, a second plate 432,and a third plate 433.

The first plate 431 is a substantially square flat plate that connectsthe frame 41 and the second plate 432. The first plate 431 projectslaterally from the long side of the frame 41, and extends on anidentical plane to the frame 41.

The second plate 432 is a rectangular flat plate to which the straingage G is attached, a long side direction of the second plate 432 isequivalent to the long side direction of the frame 41, and a short sidedirection of the second plate 432 is equivalent to the front-reardirection orthogonal to the frame 41. Therefore, the second plate 432 ispositioned in a plane orthogonal to the frame 41 and extending in thelong side direction of the frame 41. Moreover, the second plate 432 ispositioned on an identical plane to the second plate 422 of the touchdetection-dedicated leg 42.

The second plate 432 is connected to a tip of the first plate 431 at afront side of one end in the long side direction of the second plate432. Moreover, the third plate 433 is connected to the other end in thelong side direction of the second plate 432.

The strain gage G (first strain gage or second strain gage) is attachedto each surface of the second plate 432, each strain gage G beingattached to a vicinity of a center in the long side direction of thesecond plate 432 (more specifically, a place where shearing stress dueto grip occurs). The strain gages G are each connected to the sensorcalculation unit 21 of the control unit 20 by an undepicted wiring line.Due to a half-bridge configuration using these two strain gages G, astrain (later-described bending strain) occurring in the second plate432 can be detected with about twice a sensitivity compared to when onestrain gage is used.

As depicted in FIG. 4, the third plate 433 has substantially an L shapemade by combining two plate sections that extend orthogonally to theframe 41 and having certain angles with respect to the second plate 432.An end on an opposite side to the end connected to the second plate 432,of the third plate 433 is in contact with an inner surface side of theside plate 12 of the casing 10.

In each of the two grip detection-dedicated legs 43, when the side plate12 of the casing 10 is applied with a load from the side and flexureoccurs in the side plate 12, the third plate 433 moves toward the frame41 in a state that the first plate 431 is in contact with the frame 41,and a bending strain occurs within the second plate 432. The sensorcalculation unit 21 detects a magnitude of the bending strain that hasoccurred within the second plate 432 via the strain gage G attached tothe second plate 432, and a magnitude of the load applied to each of thetwo grip detection-dedicated legs 43 can be found based on a magnitudeof this bending strain. That is, two load sensors are configured by eachof the two grip detection-dedicated legs 43 and the sensor calculationunit 21.

Hereafter, for convenience of explanation, a load sensor configured bythe grip detection-dedicated leg 43 provided on a right side of theframe 41 when viewing the frame 41 in FIG. 2 from the front side, andthe sensor calculation unit 21, will be defined as a load sensor LC5,and a load sensor configured by the grip detection-dedicated leg 43provided on a left side of the frame 41 when viewing the frame 41 inFIG. 2 from the front side, and the sensor calculation unit 21, will bedefined as a load sensor LC6.

The first plate 421, the second plate 422, and the third plate 423 ofthe touch detection-dedicated leg 42, and the first plate 431, thesecond plate 432, and the third plate 433 of the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43 are each preferably formed integrally by thesame material as the frame 41. Due to the above configuration, fixingstrength of the frame 41 and the touch detection-dedicated leg 42 andfixing strength of the frame 41 and the grip detection-dedicated leg 43can be more secured, and irregular deformation of a connecting sectioncan be more reduced, compared to a configuration where, for example, thefirst plate 421, the second plate 422, and the third plate 423 of thetouch detection-dedicated leg 42, and the first plate 431, the secondplate 432, and the third plate 433 of the grip detection-dedicated leg43 are formed by a different material from the frame 41, the touchdetection-dedicated leg 42 and the grip detection-dedicating leg 43 isfixed to the frame 41 by welding, or the like. Therefore, due to theabove configuration, highly precise load detection becomes possible.

As an example, the detection member 40 may be held in the casing 10 in astate of being slightly biased rearwards by the display panel unit DU.In this state, the detection member 40 is held in a fixed position byfrictional resistance between a tip end of the third plate 423 of thetouch detection-dedicated leg 42 and an inside surface of the back plate11 of the casing 10.

Next, an operation for detecting a touch position and a touch strength,using the sensor unit SU of the present embodiment, will be described.

In a broad sense, “touch position” in the present specification means aposition that a user of the portable apparatus (in the presentembodiment, the portable telephone 100) touches the portable apparatus,and, specifically, it means, for example, a position that the usertouches a monitor screen of the portable apparatus. “Touch position” inthe present embodiment is a position that the user touches thetransparent cover 70 of the portable telephone 100, and is a positionthat a load occurring due to the user touching the transparent cover 70of the portable telephone 100 is applied to the frame 41 as well.

Moreover, in a broad sense, “touch strength” in the presentspecification means a strength with which the user of the portableapparatus (in the present embodiment, the portable telephone 100)touches the portable apparatus, and, specifically, it means, forexample, a strength with which the user presses the monitor screen ofthe portable apparatus. “Touch strength” in the present embodiment is astrength with which the user presses the transparent cover 70 of theportable telephone 100, and is a magnitude of a load applied to theframe 41 due to the user pressing the transparent cover 70 of theportable telephone 100 as well.

In the portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment, when the usertouches the transparent cover 70 from the front, a pressing force withwhich a finger of the user pushes the transparent cover 70 rearwards istransmitted to the frame 41 of the detection member 40, via the liquidcrystal panel 60 and the backlight 50, and a load is applied to theframe 41.

Now, a position that the load on the frame 41 is applied and a magnitudeof the applied load can be found using the load sensors LC1 to LC4.Specifically, for example, as depicted in FIG. 5, when the frame 41 isviewed from the front, a long side direction (up-down direction) isdefined as an X axis direction, and a short side direction (left-rightdirection) is defined as a Y axis direction. At this time, ifcoordinates of the load sensors LC1, LC2, LC3, and LC4 are respectivelydefined as (X₁, Y₁), (X₂, Y₂), (X₃, Y₃), and (X₄, Y₄), and detectionvalues of loads of the load sensors LC1, LC2, LC3, and LC4 arerespectively defined as W₁, W₂, W₃, and W₄, then the sensor calculationunit 21 calculates a gravity center position (X, Y), that is, a positionthat the load is being applied (touch position) on the frame 41 by thefollowing equations.

$\begin{matrix}\left\lbrack {{Mathematical}\mspace{14mu} {Expression}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right\rbrack & \; \\{X = \frac{{X_{1} \times W_{1}} + {X_{2} \times W_{2}} + {X_{3} \times W_{3}} + {X_{4} \times W_{4}}}{W_{1} + W_{2} + W_{3} + W_{4}}} & \left( {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right) \\\left\lbrack {{Mathematical}\mspace{14mu} {Expression}\mspace{14mu} 2} \right\rbrack & \; \\{Y = \frac{{Y_{1} \times W_{1}} + {Y_{2} \times W_{2}} + {Y_{3} \times W_{3}} + {Y_{4} \times W_{4}}}{W_{1} + W_{2} + W_{3} + W_{4}}} & \left( {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 2} \right)\end{matrix}$

In addition, the sensor calculation unit 21 calculates a strength W ofthe load applied to the frame 41, that is, the touch strength, by thefollowing equation.

[Mathematical Expression 3]

W=W ₁ +W ₂ +W ₃ +W ₄  (Equation 3)

Note that in the present embodiment, the third plates 433 of the gripdetection-dedicated legs 43 are in contact with the side plates 12 ofthe casing 10 in a state where the third plates 433 are slidable in thefront-rear direction with respect to the side plates 12 of the casing10. Therefore, when a load is applied to the frame 41 from the front andthe frame 41 moves rearwards, the grip detection-dedicated legs 43 movefreely by causing the third plates 433 to slide over an inner surfacesof the side plates 12 of the casing 10. Hence, when a load is applied tothe frame 41 from the front, the load sensors LC5 and LC6 are notinvolved in detection of the load, detection of the load is performed byonly the load sensors LC1 to LC4, and the sensor calculation unit 21 canfind the touch position and the touch strength using (Equation 1),(Equation 2), and (Equation 3).

Next, an operation for detecting a grip strength, using the sensor unitSU of the present embodiment, will be described.

In the present specification, in a broad sense, “grip strength” means astrength with which the user of the portable apparatus (in the presentembodiment, the portable telephone 100) grips the portable apparatus,and, specifically, it means, for example, a strength with which the usergrips the casing of the portable apparatus. In the present embodiment,“grip strength” is a strength with which the user grips the side plate12 of the casing 10 of the portable telephone 100 thereby pressing theside plate 12 toward the inside, and is a magnitude of a load applied tothe side plate 12 by the user.

Therefore, in the portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment, amagnitude of a load detected by the load sensors LC5 and LC6 is, inother words, the grip strength. Note that a sum of a detection value ofthe load sensor LC5 and a detection value of the load sensor LC6 may bedefined as the “grip strength”, or the detection value of the loadsensor LC5 and the detection value of the load sensor LC6 may each betreated as separate “grip strengths”, and, for example, one may bedefined as a right side grip strength, and the other as a left side gripstrength.

Effects of the portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment will belisted below.

The portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment can detect touchposition, touch strength, and grip strength, simply by having thedetection member 40 disposed on the inside of the casing 10 and building(constructing) the sensor calculation unit 21 in the control unit 20.Therefore, the portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment canperform various detections by a simple configuration. Based on suchvarious detections, the portable apparatus can give a novel operationalfeeling to a user.

The frame 41 included in the detection member 40 of the portabletelephone 100 is a member generally included in a conventional portabletelephone. Therefore, it could also be said that the portable telephone100 of the present embodiment enables detection of touch position, touchstrength, and grip strength, simply by providing a conventional portabletelephone with the four touch detection-dedicated legs 42 and the twogrip detection-dedicated legs 43 each of which is a minute member and iscapable of being disposed in dead space within the portable telephone.That is, the portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment can givean original operational feeling to the portable apparatus whilesuppressing increase in the number of components or complication of adevice.

The portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment can performdetection of touch position and touch strength by the sensor unit SUthat includes the detection member 40 and the sensor calculation unit21. Therefore, there is no need to utilize a touch panel of a resistancefilm system or an electrostatic capacity system, and thinning of theportable telephone can be achieved.

Because the portable telephone 100 of the present embodiment includesthe six load sensors LC1 to LC6, it can detect touch position, touchstrength, and grip strength accurately, and in particular, can detecttouch strength and grip strength with high precision.

Second Embodiment

A portable telephone 200 of a second embodiment of the presentdisclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

As depicted in FIG. 6, the portable telephone 200 of the secondembodiment is identical to the portable telephone 100 of the firstembodiment, except that a shape of a detection member 40′ of theportable telephone 200 of the second embodiment is different from thatof the detection member 40 of the portable telephone 100 of the firstembodiment. Hereafter, only a configuration of the detection member 40′and detection of a grip position enabled by inclusion of the detectionmember 40′, will be described. Structures and functions not describedare identical to those of the portable telephone 100 of the firstembodiment.

As depicted in FIG. 7, the detection member 40′ includes: a frame 41′which is a rectangular shaped flat plate; four touch detection-dedicatedlegs 42′ respectively provided in four corner sections of the frame 41′;and four grip detection-dedicated legs 43′ respectively providedadjacently to the four touch detection-dedicated legs 42′. Shapes of theframe 41′, the touch detection-dedicated leg 42′, and the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43′ are identical to, respectively, those of theframe 41, the touch detection-dedicated leg 42, and the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43 of the first embodiment.

The detection member 40′ is housed on the inside of the casing 10 in astate where the four touch detection-dedicated legs 42′ is in contactwith the back plate 11 of the casing 10 and the four gripdetection-dedicated legs 43′ is in contact with the side plate 12 of thecasing 10 slidably in the front-rear direction. The frame 41′ isdisposed frontwards of the control unit 20 and the power supply 30 so asto cover these.

The strain gages G attached to each of the four grip detection-dedicatedlegs 43′ are connected to the sensor calculation unit 21 by anundepicted wiring line. Hereafter, a load sensor configured by the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43′ provided at top right when viewing the frame41′ in FIG. 7 from the front, and the sensor calculation unit 21, willbe called a load sensor LC7. Moreover, load sensors configured by thegrip detection-dedicated legs 43′ provided at bottom right, bottom left,and top left when viewing the frame 41′ in FIG. 7 from the front, andthe sensor calculation unit 21, will be called, respectively, loadsensors LC8, LC9, and LC10.

In the portable telephone 200 of the second embodiment, because a loadsensor is built in to each of vicinities of both ends in a long sidedirection of the frame 41′, grip position can also be detected, inaddition to grip strength.

In a broad sense, “grip position” in the present specification means aposition that the user of the portable apparatus (in the presentembodiment, the portable telephone 200) grips the portable apparatus,and, specifically, it means, for example, a position that the user gripsthe casing of the portable apparatus. “Grip position” in the presentembodiment is a position that the user grips the side plate 12 of thecasing 10 of the portable telephone 200, that is, a position that theuser applies a load to the side plate 12 of the casing 10 of theportable telephone 200.

An example of a method of detecting grip strength and grip position inthe present embodiment is as follows. As depicted in FIG. 8, when theframe 41′ is viewed from the front, a long side direction (up-downdirection) is defined as an X axis direction, and a short side direction(left-right direction) is defined as a Y axis direction. At this time,if an X coordinate of the load sensor LC7 is defined as X₇, an Xcoordinate of the load sensor LC8 is defined as X₈, and detection valuesof loads of the load sensors LC7 and LC8 are respectively defined as W₇and W₈, then the sensor calculation unit 21 can find a magnitude W_(G)of a grip force applied in a+Y direction in FIG. 8, that is, the gripstrength, by the following equation.

[Mathematical Expression 4]

W _(G) =W ₇ +W ₈  (Equation 4)

In addition, the sensor calculation unit 21 can find a position X_(G)that the grip force is applied in the X axis direction, that is, thegrip position, by the following equation.

$\begin{matrix}\left\lbrack {{Mathematical}\mspace{14mu} {Expression}\mspace{14mu} 5} \right\rbrack & \; \\{X_{G} = \frac{{X_{7} \times W_{7}} + {X_{8} \times W_{8}}}{W_{7} + W_{8}}} & \left( {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 5} \right)\end{matrix}$

Grip strength and grip position of a grip force applied in a−Y directioncan also be calculated by similar equations to (Equation 4) and(Equation 5), where an X coordinate of the load sensor LC9 is defined asX₉, an X coordinate of the load sensor LC10 is defined as X₁₀, anddetection values of loads of the load sensors LC9 and LC10 arerespectively defined as W₉ and W₁₀.

The portable telephone 200 of the second embodiment can display similareffects to the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment.

Moreover, the portable telephone 200 of the second embodiment canadditionally perform detection of grip position and can thereby give anoriginal operational feeling to users, simply by adding to the portabletelephone 100 of the first embodiment two grip detection-dedicated legs43 each of which is a minute member and is capable of being disposed indead space within the portable telephone.

The following modified modes may also be employed in the portabletelephones 100 and 200 of the above-described embodiments.

The portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment includes both thetouch detection-dedicated leg 42 and the grip detection-dedicated leg43, and the portable telephone 200 of the second embodiment includesboth the touch detection-dedicated leg 42′ and the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43′, but are not limited to these. The portabletelephone 100 may include only the touch detection-dedicated leg 42 oronly the grip detection-dedicated leg 43, and the portable telephone 200may include only the touch detection-dedicated leg 42′ or only the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43′.

The portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment includes four touchdetection-dedicated legs 42, and the portable telephone 200 of thesecond embodiment includes four touch detection-dedicated legs 42′, butare not limited to these. The number of touch detection-dedicated leg 42included in the portable telephone 100 and the number of touchdetection-dedicated leg 42′ included in the portable telephone 200 arearbitrary. When only one touch detection-dedicated leg 42, 42′ isincluded, detection of touch position cannot be performed, but detectionof touch strength can be performed. Moreover, when only two touchdetection-dedicated legs 42, 42′ are included, touch position in oneaxial direction and touch strength can be detected. If three touchdetection-dedicated legs 42, 42′ are included, then as long as thesetouch detection-dedicated legs 42, 42′ are not positioned on one axis,touch position in two axial directions and touch strength can bedetected.

In the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the portabletelephone 200 of the second embodiment, the touch detection-dedicatedleg 42, 42′ is provided in the long side of the frame 41, 41′, but isnot limited to this. The touch detection-dedicated leg 42, 42′ may beprovided in the short side of the frame 41, 41′.

Moreover, the touch detection-dedicated leg 42, 42′ does not necessarilyneed to be provided in a corner section of the frame 41, 41′. A positionof the touch detection-dedicated leg 42, 42′ may be appropriately setsuch that detection of touch strength and touch position can beperformed in a desired region.

Note that in the present specification, a “vicinity of four corners” ofthe frame 41, 41′ in the case of the long side direction of the frame41, 41′ means a position whose distance to a corner section is shorterthan its distance to the center in the long side direction, andpreferably means a point that is at a distance of not more than (¼) Dfrom the one end, assuming D is a distance between one end and thecenter in the long side direction. Moreover, a “vicinity of fourcorners” of the frame 41, 41′ in the case of the short side direction ofthe frame 41, 41′ means a position whose distance to a corner section isshorter than its distance to the center in the short side direction, andpreferably means a point that is at a distance of not more than (¼) dfrom the one end, assuming d is a distance between one end and thecenter in the short side direction.

In the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the portabletelephone 200 of the second embodiment, the grip detection-dedicated leg43, 43′ is provided in the long side of the frame 41, 41′, but the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43, 43′ may be provided in the short side of theframe 41, 41′. Moreover, position that the grip detection-dedicated leg43, 43′ is provided on the long side or on the short side of the frame41, 41′ is also arbitrary. It is also possible for the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43, 43′ to only be provided in one of the pairof long sides of the frame 41, 41′, or to only be provided in one of thepair of short sides of the frame 41, 41′.

In the touch detection-dedicated leg 42 included in the detection member40 of the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the touchdetection-dedicated leg 42′ included in the detection member 40′ of theportable telephone 200 of the second embodiment, the first plate 421 andthe second plate 422 were orthogonal, but are not limited to this. Thefirst plate 421 and the second plate 422 may intersect having a certainangle.

In the touch detection-dedicated leg 42 included in the detection member40 of the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the touchdetection-dedicated leg 42′ included in the detection member 40′ of theportable telephone 200 of the second embodiment, the strain gage G isattached to both surfaces of the second plate 422, but is not limited tothis. It is possible for the strain gage G to only be attached to onesurface of the second plate 422. Alternatively, for example, it may beconfigured such that by a full bridge configuration using four straingages G, shearing strain occurring in the second plate 422 can bedetected with about four times a sensitivity compared to when one straingage is used.

Moreover, the strain gage G may be attached to both surfaces or onesurface of the first plate 421, not the second plate 422. Because abending strain occurs also in the first plate 421 when a load is appliedto the frame 41 or frame 41′, a load sensor can be constructed by astrain gage G attached to the first plate 421 and the sensor calculationunit 21.

It is possible for the touch detection-dedicated leg 42 included in thedetection member 40 of the portable telephone 100 of the firstembodiment and the touch detection-dedicated leg 42′ included in thedetection member 40′ of the portable telephone 200 of the secondembodiment to only include the first plate 421 with the strain gage G,and not include the second plate 422 and the third plate 423. In thiscase, the tip end of the first plate 421 may be attached to the innersurface side of the side plate 12 of the casing 10.

Because a bending strain occurs in the first plate 421 when a load isapplied to the frame 41, 41′ even in such a touch detection-dedicatedleg 42, 42′, a load sensor can be constructed in conjunction with thesensor calculation unit 21.

In the touch detection-dedicated leg section 42 included in thedetection member 40 of the portable telephone 100 of the firstembodiment and the touch detection-dedicated leg section 42′ included inthe detection member 40′ of the portable telephone 200 of the secondembodiment, shapes of the first plate 421, the second plate 422, and thethird plate 423 are arbitrary. For example, the first plate 421 may havethe likes of a rectangular shape, not a substantially square shape, andthe second plate 422 may have the likes of a substantially square shape,not a rectangular shape. The third plate 423 may have a flat plateshape, for example.

The touch detection-dedicated leg 42 and the grip detection-dedicatedleg 43 included in the detection member 40 of the portable telephone 100of the first embodiment and the touch detection-dedicated leg 42′ andthe grip detection-dedicated leg 43′ included in the detection member40′ of the portable telephone 200 of the second embodiment are eachconfigured by a plurality of plate-like members, but are not limited tothis. As an example, the first plate 421, 431 and the third plate 423,433 may have a circular columnar shape or a prismatic columnar shape.Moreover, the second plate 422, 432 is also not limited to beingplate-like provided it has a shape enabling the strain gage G to beattached, and may be configured having a circular columnar shape or aprismatic columnar shape, for example.

In the grip detection-dedicated leg 43 included in the detection member40 of the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43′ included in the detection member 40′ of theportable telephone 200 of the second embodiment, the first plate 431 andthe second plate 432 are orthogonal, but are not limited to this. Thefirst plate 431 and the second plate 432 may intersect having a certainangle.

In the grip detection-dedicated leg 43 included in the detection member40 of the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43′ included in the detection member 40′ of theportable telephone 200 of the second embodiment, the strain gage G wasattached to both surfaces of the second plate 432, but is not limited tothis. It is possible for the strain gage G to only be attached to onesurface of the second plate 432. Alternatively, for example, it may beconfigured such that by a full bridge configuration using four straingages G, bending strain occurring in the second plate 432 can bedetected with about four times a sensitivity compared to when one straingage is used.

Moreover, the strain gage G may be attached to both surfaces or onesurface of the first plate 431, not the second plate 432. Because ashearing strain occurs also in the first plate 431 when a load isapplied to the side plate 12 of the casing 10, a load sensor can beconstructed by a strain gage G attached to the first plate 431 and thesensor calculation unit 21.

In the grip detection-dedicated leg 43 included in the detection member40 of the portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the gripdetection-dedicated leg 43′ included in the detection member 40′ of theportable telephone 200 of the second embodiment, shapes of the firstplate 431, the second plate 432, and the third plate 433 are arbitrary.For example, the first plate 431 may have the likes of a rectangularshape, not a substantially square shape, and the second plate 432 mayhave the likes of a substantially square shape, not a rectangular shape.The third plate 433 may have a flat plate shape, for example.

Neither the frame 41 included in the detection member 40 of the portabletelephone 100 of the first embodiment nor the frame 41′ included in thedetection member 40′ of the portable telephone 200 of the secondembodiment is limited to being a rectangular plate. The frame 41, 41′may be of any shape such as a square or other polygon, a circle, or anellipse.

The portable telephone 100 of the first embodiment and the portabletelephone 200 of the second embodiment may further include a touch panelof another system, such as a resistance film system or an electrostaticcapacity system.

The first embodiment and the second embodiment have been describedciting a portable telephone as an example of the portable apparatus, butthe portable apparatus including the sensor unit SU of theabove-described embodiments is not limited to a portable telephone. Forexample, the sensor unit SU of the above-described embodiments may alsobe employed in the likes of a portable game machine, a portable musicplayers, a notebook personal computer, or a tablet.

The portable apparatus of the above embodiments make it possible for apressing force applied by a user to be detected by a simpleconfiguration.

As long as features of the present invention are maintained, the presentinvention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and otherforms considered to be in a range of technical ideas of the presentinvention may also be included in a range of the present invention.

For example, the likes of the above-described detection member (that is,a frame mechanism/structure configured by the frame and at least one ofthe touch detection-dedicated leg and grip detection-dedicated leg) orsensor unit configured by this detection member and the sensorcalculation unit, are also included in modes of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable apparatus capable of detecting a touchposition where a user touches the portable apparatus and a touchstrength with which the user touches the portable apparatus, theportable apparatus comprising: a rectangular frame on which a displaypanel unit is to be mounted; four touch detection-dedicated legsrespectively extending from vicinities of four corners of the frame; afirst strain gage attached to each of the touch detection-dedicatedlegs; and a calculation unit that finds the touch position and the touchstrength based on an output of the first strain gage.
 2. The portableapparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a gripdetection-dedicated leg extending from a long side of the frame; and asecond strain gage attached to the grip detection-dedicated leg, whereinthe calculation unit finds a grip strength with which the user grips theportable apparatus, based on an output of the second strain gage.
 3. Theportable apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a pluralityof grip detection-dedicated legs extending from one long side of theframe; and a second strain gage attached to each of the plurality ofgrip detection-dedicated legs, wherein the calculation unit finds a gripstrength with which the user grips the portable apparatus and a gripposition where the user grips the portable apparatus, based on outputsof the second strain gages.
 4. The portable apparatus according to claim1, further comprising a casing that has a back surface and a sidesurface and that houses the touch detection-dedicated leg, wherein eachof the four touch detection-dedicated legs is in contact with the backsurface on an inside of the casing.
 5. The portable apparatus accordingto claim 2, further comprising a casing that has a back surface and aside surface and that houses the touch detection-dedicated legs, whereineach of the four touch detection-dedicated legs is in contact with theback surface on an inside of the casing, and the gripdetection-dedicated leg is in contact with the side surface on theinside of the casing.
 6. A portable apparatus capable of detecting agrip strength with which a user grips the portable apparatus, theportable apparatus comprising: a rectangular frame on which a displaypanel unit is to be mounted; a first grip detection-dedicated legextending from a long side of the frame; a first strain gage attached tothe first grip detection-dedicated leg; and a calculation unit thatfinds the grip strength based on an output of the first strain gage. 7.The portable apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a casingthat has a back surface and a side surface and that houses the gripdetection-dedicated leg, wherein the grip detection-dedicated leg is incontact with the side surface on an inside of the casing.
 8. Theportable apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a secondgrip detection-dedicated leg extending from the long side of the frame;and a second strain gage attached to the second grip detection-dedicatedleg, wherein the calculation unit detects a grip position where the usergrips the casing, based on outputs of the first strain gage and thesecond strain gage.
 9. The portable apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the rectangular frame and the four touch detection-dedicatedlegs are formed integrally and are formed of an identical material. 10.The portable apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the rectangularframe and the first grip detection-dedicated leg are formed integrallyand are formed of an identical material.
 11. A portable apparatuscapable of detecting a touch position where a user touches the portableapparatus and a touch strength with which the user touches the portableapparatus, the portable apparatus comprising: a frame on which a displaypanel unit is to be mounted; at least two touch detection-dedicated legsrespectively extending from the frame; a first strain gage attached toeach of the touch detection-dedicated legs; and a calculation unit thatfinds the touch position and the touch strength based on an output ofthe first strain gage.
 12. The portable apparatus according to claim 9,further comprising: a grip detection-dedicated leg extending from theframe; and a second strain gage attached to the grip detection-dedicatedleg, wherein the calculation unit finds a grip strength with which theuser grips the portable apparatus, based on an output of the secondstrain gage.